Skin and Bones
by Raptured Rose
Summary: Tyler watches as the love of his life practically throws his life away, and hopes that he can save it before it's too late.. Rated T for slash pairing, mild language, and eating disorders.


A/N; Just something I came up with while reflecting on my past. I've suffered from bulimia, an eating disorder where you feel the need to throw up all of the contents in your body to feel skinny. Now 20 years old and pregnant, rapidly gaining weight, it's hard to deal and I think of my child whenever I feel the need to throw up. Writing this story actually helped me out a lot, so reviews are love.

* * *

"Eat," Tyler Lockwood hissed at his boyfriend of two years, Jeremy Gilbert. Jeremy shot him a glare and continued to push the food around his plate with a miserable look on his pale face.  
Tyler sighed and gave Caroline Forbes and Stefan Salvatore, also a couple and their best friends, an exasperated look.  
Caroline gave Tyler a nod and turned to her moping friend. "Jer, if you don't eat I'm locking you in a room with Damon so he can annoy the living hell out of you."  
Jeremy scoffed and angrily stuffed a fry into his mouth, chewing slowly and shifting uncomfortably. They were all watching his intently, making sure he swallowed everything and didn't spit anything out.  
After spending his senior year bullied for being gay, Jeremy eventually let the insults get to his head, feeling as if he really was a fat, freaky whore.  
Tyler tried his best to help, forcing him to go to counseling classes and even went as far as making Elena check Jeremy into a treatment center for a few weeks. Nothing worked and Tyler was scared for Jeremy's health. He considered compelling him to eat every once in a while, but knew Jeremy would kick his ass if he even tried.  
"I'm done," Jeremy announced, pushing his half eaten burger and fries away and risking a glance at Tyler, who did not look amused.  
"Jer," he started, but was cut off by Stefan. Even after Elena dumped both of the Salvatore brothers for Elijah Mikaelson, Stefan continued to look after Jeremy as if he was a little brother.  
"We're going to start heading home anyways, and Jeremy, go home and eat something. It won't kill you, and you're starting to look anorexic," Stefan stated, looking Jeremy dead in the eye. Jeremy blushed and looked away, fingers trailing down to his skinny stomach.

* * *

"Ugh!"  
Tyler jumped out of bed the moment he heard the gagging noise, gritting his teeth together angrily as he stalked into the bathroom. Throwing the door open, his suspicions were confirmed as he watched Jeremy shove his fingers down his throat, desperately trying to empty his stomach into the toilet.  
"Jer! What the hell!" Tyler exclaimed angrily, causing the younger man to jump and pull his saliva covered hands out of his mouth.  
"Ty.. I," Jeremy tried to think of something that would make Tyler understand, but he knew that Tyler wouldn't care to hear any excuses.  
"Flush the toilet and come to bed," Tyler commanded, pulling a grossed out face as he peeked into the toilet bowl. "And brush your teeth, it's nasty kissing someone with puke breath."  
Jeremy sighed and did as he instructed, taking time brushing his teeth, trying to stall the conversation he was sure Tyler wanted to have.  
Rinsing his mouth one last time with mouth wash, he hesitantly entered their bedroom to find Tyler sitting against the headboard, looking exhausted and depressed. At the sound of Jeremy entering, he turned his head and motioned for him to sit in his lap.  
Jeremy slowly climbed into Tyler's lap, a little confused that Tyler wasn't giving him the usual scolding or disappointed looks.  
"I'm tired of fighting about this, Jeremy," Tyler said softly, caressing Jeremy's bony back with strong, loving hands. "I realize I can't fix you, and as much as it pains me to say, I have to give up. I've tried everything I can think of, yet every night I still find you bent over the toilet, unhappy with yourself. You're so utterly perfect, yet you can't even realize that. It's so heartbreaking, Jer. And I think back to two years ago when you attacked me with Alaric's crossbow, accusing me of backstabbing you, and you were standing so confident and sure of yourself. That was the person I fell in love with, and I miss him so damn much. I need him."  
They sat in silence for the longest time, Tyler caressing Jeremy's back and Jeremy chewing nervously on his plump lip, thinking about Tyler's words, feeling ashamed.  
Jeremy finally cleared his throat and turned to face Tyler, brown eyes filling up with tears as he spoke. "You're going to leave me, aren't you?"  
Tyler shook his head slowly, bringing a hand up to cup Jeremy's face. "No. I couldn't do that to you, but if you really, truly love me, you'll stop doing this to yourself. Please."  
Jeremy nodded and pressed his lips to Tyler's, knowing that he could possibly lose him one day.

* * *

"He's doing really great," Tyler said to Elena on the phone three months later, glancing at Jeremy, who was sitting on the couch watching Supernatural and eating ice cream. He smiled and turned away, listening as Elena babbled on about how proud she was of Jeremy, and then somehow she turned the conversation around and they ended up talking about children.  
"Elijah and I were thinking about adopting, since he obviously can't have kids, being dead and all," Elena said excitedly, and Tyler took a seat next to Jeremy on their couch. Jeremy tore his eyes away from the TV to give Tyler an amused smirk, which just earned an eye roll from Tyler. Jeremy then turned back and began drooling over the Winchesters and Castiel, something Tyler made a mental note of so he could tease him later on.  
"You and Jer should adopt too!" Elena squealed suddenly, causing Tyler's eyes to widen.  
"'Lena, I don't know about that," Tyler said simply, imagining a kid running around and wrinkling his nose.  
"Fine, but I know you guys would be amazing fathers."  
"Probably not," Tyler said with a laugh.

* * *

~ Five Years Later ~  
Tyler watched his little girl, Joanna Belle Lockwood, run excitedly into the kindergarten classroom and resisted the urge to run after her. He shot Jeremy, his husband, a nervous look, but Jeremy only chuckled.  
"She'll be fine, Ty, it's kindergarten, not a prison."  
Tyler glared at him and muttered, "Is there really a difference?"  
Jeremy laughed loudly and placed a quick kiss on Tyler's tan cheek. "How about go get some lunch, hm?"  
Tyler grinned as he heard Jeremy's stomach rumble loudly and nodded.  
"Sounds perfect."


End file.
